Mailing envelope



June 4, 1957 P. c. SILLS, JR

MAILING ENVELOPE Filed Jan. 21, 1955 INVENTOR. PAUL C. S/LL United States Patent Q1 MAILING ENVELOPE Paul C. Sills, In, Northbend, Ohio Application January 21, 1955, Serial No. 483,353

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-71) This invention relates to envelopes, and more particularly to an improved envelope of the window type.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved window envelope which is simple in construction, which is provided with reversible indicia-bearing means visible through the windows thereof, which is neat in appearance, and which is economical to use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved window envelope having reversible indicia-bearing elements therein visible through the windows thereof, said envelope being inexpensive to manufacture, being durable in construction and being reusable when desired.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an improved envelope according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank employed to form the envelope of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on line 5-5. of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 66 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the improved envelope is designated generally at 11 and comprises a rectangular face portion 12, and a generally rectangular rear portion 13, said face portion and rear portion 12 and 13 respectively being connected along a fold line 14, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 illustrates the blank employed to form the envelope, and may be fabricated of any suitable sheet plastic material of suitable durability.

As shown in Figure 2, the front face portion 12 is provided at its opposite ends with the respective flaps 15, 15, said flaps being coated with suitable adhesive material whereby the end margins of the rear portion 13 may be adhesively secured to the end marginal portions of the face portion 12 to define the envelope. The face portion 12 is also provided with the top flap 16 which may be coated on its marginal portion with suitable adhesive 17, preferably of the pressure-sensitive type, so that the top flap 16 may be adhesively secured to the upper marginal portion of the rear portion 13 of the envelope by applying suitable pressure on the marginal portion of flap 16. To facilitate the opening of the envelope, the edge of the flap 16 is formed with a loop or tab element 18 which may be grasped readily, and which may be employed as a handle to open the flap 16 without tearing same, since the adhesive 17 is preferably of a type which yields in response to a pull exerted thereon, as in the case of conventional pressure-sensitive adhesive material employed on conventional fastening tape.

The face portion 12 is formed with a first window which ice 2 is relatively large and which is located in the lower iritermediate portion of the face member 12 of the envelope, said window being shown at 20. The window 20 is preferably provided with a suitable transparent protective covering, shown at 21, and is preferably suitably thickened or reinforced around its margins, as by a thickened border rib or bead 22. Secured to the inside surface of the face portion 12 adjacent the side and bottom margins of the window 20 is a pocket, designated at 23, said pocket comprising a generally U-shaped spacer strip 24 secured to the inside surface of the face portion 12 along the side and bottom margins of the window 20, and a wall 25 of suitable thin sheet material secured to the U-shaped member 24 to define the pocket or receptacle.

Secured to the inside surface of the window 20 along the top marginal portion of the window are a pair of diamond-shaped flat lug elements 26, 26 of suitable thickness and preferably of the same material as the envelope, said lug elements being spaced symmetrically on opposite sides of the vertical center line of the window, as shown in Figure 2. Designated at 27 is an indicia-bearing cardwhich is shaped to fit inside the pocket 23. The marginal top portion of wall 25 is notched at the intermediate portion of its top portion as shown at 28 to facilitate the handling of the card, namely, to facilitate its insertion in the pocket 23 and its withdrawal therefrom when it is desired to reverse the card. The card 27 is formed with diamond-shaped apertures 28' arranged to lockingly interengage with the lugs 26 whereby the card will be retained in the pocket 23. Since the card is made of flexible sheet material, such as thin cardboard or the like, the upper portions thereof are sufficiently flexible so that the marginal top portions of the wall 25 may be readily flexed rearwardly to disengage the apertures 28 from the lugs 26 when it is desired to extract the card from the pocket 23.

The card 27 is preferably provided with space on one surface thereof for the address of the person to whom the envelope is to be mailed, and is also provided on its reverse surface with space on which the address of the sender may be inscribed, so that when the envelope is received by the first addressee, the same envelope may be employed to return correspondence to the first addressor by merely reversing the address card 27 thereof in the pocket 23.

The face portion 12 of the envelope is further formed with a window 30 at its upper left corner, as shown in Figure 1, said window being similar in construction to the window 20, and being provided with a pocket 31 for receiving a reversible card 32 provided with spaces on its front and rear surfaces on which return addresses may be inscribed. The card 32 is reversible in the same manner as the card 37 so that the return address of the person using the envelope may be exhibited through the window 30.

The face portion 12 of the envelope is further formed at its upper right corner with still another window 40 which is provided with a pocket 41 shaped to receive a stamp-bearing card 42. The window 40 is not provided with a transparent protective front cover, as are the windows 20 and 39 in order to allow stamps on the card 42 exposed through the window 40 to be cancelled by the postal authorities. However, the card 42 is reversible in the same manner as the cards 27 and 32 whereby the card 42 may be employed to carry postage for return mailing of the envelope, if so desired.

It will be noted that the cards 42 and 32 are provided with locking means comprising lugs 26 on the inside surface of the face portion 12 above the windows 40 and 30 which engage with apertures similar to the apertures 28 provided on the upper marginal portions of the cards 42 f v i 2,794,590

and 32."The cards are further locked in their pockets 7 41 and 31 by being engaged by the top fold line 44 of the face portion 12 of the envelope when the flap 16 is sealed.

" While a specific embodiment of an improved envelope has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the'invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

4 What is claimed is:

1. An envelope comprising a face portion, a rear portion, means connecting the side and bottom edges of said face and rear portions, a cover flap on said face portion arranged to be folded over and to be secured to the top margin of 'said rear portion, said face portion being formed with a window, a pocketsecured to the inside surface of said face portion adjacent the side and bottom margins of said window, a card element fitting in and received in said pocket whereby the outer face of said card element may be viewed through said window when the flap is secured in closed position to said rear portion, the top marginal portion of said card element being formed with an aperture, and'a lug element on the inside surface of the top margin of said window located substantially the same distances from the marginal edges of the window as said aperture and being formed to lockingly engage in the aperture.

2. An envelope comprising a face portion, a rear portion, means connecting the side and bottom edges of said face and rear portions, a cover flap on said face portion arranged to be folded over and to be secured to the top margin of said rear portion, said face portion being formed with a first window in the intermediate region thereof and a second window at an upper corner region thereof, respective pockets secured to the inner surface of said face portion adjacent the side and bottom margins of said windows, respective cards fitting in and received in said pockets whereby the outer faces of said cards may be viewed through said windows when the flap is secured in closed position to said rear portion the top marginal portion of each card being formed with an aperture, and I3. lug element on the inside surface of the top margin of each window located substantially the same distances from the marginal edges of the window as said aperture and being formed to lockingly engage in the aperture.

' 3. An envelope comprising a face portion, a rear portion, means connecting the side and bottom edges of said face and rear portions, a cover flap on said face portion arranged to be folded over and to be secured to the top margin of said rear portion, said face portion being formed with a first window in the intermediate region thereof and a second window at an upper corner region thereof, respective pockets secured to the inside surface of said face portion adjacent the side and bottom margins of said windows, respective card elements fitting in and received in said pockets whereby the outer faces of said card elements may be viewed through said windows when the flap is secured in'closed position to said rear portion each card element being formed with a plurality of apertures adjacent its top edge, and respective card-retaining lug elements secured to the inside surface of said face portion adjacent the top margins of said windows and being located substantially the same distances from the marginal edges of the associated windows as the apertures and being formed to lockingly engage in said apertures.

4. An envelope comprising a face portion, a rear portion, means connecting the side and bottom edges of said face and rear edges, a cover flap on said face portion arranged to be folded over and to be secured to the top margin of said rear portion, said face portion being formed with a first window in the intermediate region thereof and respective additional windows at the upper corner regions thereof, respective pockets secured to the inside surface of said face portion adjacent the side and bottom margins of said windows, respective card elements fitting in and received in said pockets, whereby the outer faces of said card elements may be viewed through said windows when the flap is secured in closed position to said rear portion, each card element being formed with a plurality of apertures adjacent the top edge, and respective card-retaining lug elements secured to the inside surface of said face portion adjacent the top margins of said windows and being located substantially the same distances from the marginal edges of the associated windows as the apertures and being formed to lockingly engage in said apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 324,164 Raisbeck Aug. 11, 1885 1,136,163 OBrien Apr. 20, 1915 1,388,947 Halpern et al. Aug. 30, 1921 1,810,649 Elliott June 16, 1931 1,865,037 Novick June 28, 1932 1,956,527 De Groot Apr. 24, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 451,658 France Feb. 17, 1913 12,332 Great Britain 1913 

